Training Brand Ambassadors
“Here’s your t-shirt. Now, go be pretty.” Ehhhh, it’s not really that easy. Maybe that’s the perception of brand ambassadors and what they do, but it’s not the reality. Not by a long shot.
When at a tradeshow, or any live event, potential customers want answers to their questions about the brand. The face to face interaction that occurs at these events is a golden opportunity, possibly the only opportunity, your brand will have to make an impact with these potential customers. If your brand ambassador’s answer is “Ahhh, I’m not sure,” it’s not going to cut it, even if it’s said with a smile. “I can find out for you,” isn’t the best either. In this day and age, people want their answers now and clear. If the people representing your brand don’t know about your brand, you’ve failed and missed out. That’s why brand ambassador training and working with an agency that focuses on it is so crucial.
It starts with the agency. These are the people who have the connection with your brand. These are the people who are doing the research and are feeding the information to the people who will be on the floor. It’s important to have open and clear communication with your agency so they can relay your message clearly to the brand ambassadors. The agency connection is just as important as hiring the right brand ambassadors.
The next part is obviously the communication between agent and brand ambassador. It should start with an emailed brief. This should contain detailed background information on the brand, what the brand’s image is, what the brand wants their image to be and a list of talking points the brand wants widely known.
The talking points should be studied and nailed down well before the event.
A brand ambassador knowing these is the difference between a new customer and a terrible Yelp or Reddit comment that could be seen by thousands. After the brand ambassadors are hired and given their brief, a follow up with the agent on the day of the event should take place. This is where the agent can make sure the ambassador has digested the brief and the brand ambassador can voice any concerns or ask any last minute questions.
With the studying and communication having taken place, it’s time to execute. When on the floor, a good brand ambassador should come off as an extension of the brand. As if they had worked for your company for years. This is what they do. A good agency staffs versatile and hard working ambassadors who can digest the proper information and put it into practice.
At CMT Agency we work hard to make sure we communicate with both our brands and talent so that everyone comes off looking the best that they can.